For Westerners who have heard of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste, commonly known as East Timor, it's most likely when the country was embroiled in civil war with their Indonesian occupiers. But it has been a decade since their independence, and Timor-Leste is rapidly positioning itself as a real post-conflict development success story. With its beautiful beaches and people hungry for prosperity, the country seems like the next hot tourist destination, and foreign business is beginning to take note.

A large part of Timor-Leste's rebuilding is due to foreign aid, including finances from the World Bank. Leigh Mitchell, a 29-year-old Australian, has been working on the front lines of this process as an adviser with the National Directorate for Aid Effectiveness. People don't usually rise so quickly in an organization as huge as the World Bank, so we asked Mitchell how he became so successful so young.

Can you give a CliffsNotes version of what you do?

Leigh Mitchell: If you can’t sum up what you do in a single, coherent sentence, then you probably aren’t doing much. My role involves providing advice to the minister of finance concerning issues related to improving the effectiveness of aid coming into Timor-Leste.

There is much to be done, and the future is by no means certain, but without a doubt, there is a feeling that I think is shared by all stakeholders and developers here. Now is a time where the entire country is focused on ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future. It is a great time to be here in Timor-Leste. And knowing the country's colonial legacy and history of struggle, for me as a middle-class white guy, makes living and working here such a humbling experience.

Has your age proved to be a hindrance for you at all?

LM: Yes and no. I feel like I’ve always been the youngest -- from early grade school onward into the workplace. Occasionally my age gets mentioned as an issue but it is mostly mentioned in the form of light humor suggesting that, given my age, I am still able to work 24 hours straight whereas perhaps others may be unable. And yes -- there have been times where work has demanded such schedules.

Looking back, do you see a tipping point for where you are today?

LM: When I was six years old my family and I relocated from the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Apart from the obvious cultural, language and lifestyle shocks, I found growing up in the Middle East to be an enriching, eye-opening experience. While there, the first Gulf War broke out, which caused my father to separate from us for a time while we were evacuated to the relative safety of Jeddah, a port-city in the country’s southwest. My father remained in Riyadh attending work as normal but relocating to the desert outskirts at night to avoid Iraqi Scud missiles. For me, this was nothing but an adventure, but when I reflect back I can see how incredibly stressful it must have been for my parents.